Mission 1 begins with the USA liberation of Baghdad from GLA forces. Go into the hills above Baghdad to destroy their Scud Storm.
This is an introductory mission that introduces the basic concepts of the game.
A new feature to the game series is the ability to choose from various General’s Powers. Select the three-starred button at the upper right of the command console to choose these powers. Promotions can be obtained by experience in battle, allowing more powers to be selected later in the game.
Choose the Paladin tank power and create as many Paladin tanks as you can afford to join your Crusader tanks.
Fight your first battle at the entrance to Baghdad and then heal your tanks at the War Factory. A quick way to do this quickly is to highlight all of your tanks, then click on the War Factory. Only the injured tanks will return to base to be repaired. The healthy units will stay in place.
There is a problem. As soon as you enter the city through the entrance, the GLA will launch their Scud Storm near your position! But don’t worry about it. The attack was just to scare you. But there is a way for you to win without letting that happen! Once you defeat the five Scorpion tanks that attack you after you destroy the others, take a few Chinnoks and load them with tanks. Then, fly over the spot so that you're directly above the captured pilots.(There are five, maybe six). A better idea is to have Paladins, in that way you can have two "upgraded" leaders. Have the chinnoks drop off your Paladins, pound the heck out of the GLA and rescue the pilots! As long as you don’t enter the city through the main entrance the GLA will not launch their ScudStorm!
The waypoint command at the War Factory will automatically send both new vehicles and repaired vehicles to the location of your choosing.
Enter Baghdad and proceed to the east where the captured pilots are being held. This allows an opportunity to utilize the promotion ability of individual vehicles – simply place veteran troops inside the units you want to be instantly promoted.
Vehicles can receive “double upgrades” by placing two veteran pilots in a single vehicle.
Before moving further around the outskirts of Baghdad, upgrade your tanks with battle drones for 300 credits per tank. Battle drones hover above the vehicle, both repairing the parent vehicle and firing a small machine gun at enemies.
Move in a counter-clockwise direction around the city until you come to a pass that allows you to enter the mountains to the north.
A battle will be fought and an announcement should be heard that you have been promoted. Choose another General’s Power – either the ability to reveal a hidden part of the map or the ability to partially heal your vehicles.
Head northeast through the mountains. You should have enough fire power to destroy both the base and the Scud Storm missile site.